Westpac rescue helicopters ad triggers claims of ‘customer blackmail’ on social media
A new campaign by Westpac promoting its support of the Westpac rescue helicopter has triggered a social media backlash from customers claiming the bank is using the rescue service as a marketing vehicle.
The campaign, launched last week, features a man and his son floating near an upturned yacht as the Westpac chopper comes into view.
The ad talks about how the bank has supported the service for 40 years and points out: “Not all Australians are with Westpac, but we’re with all Australians.”
There doesn’t seem to be much to this, the concept and creative are both solid enough. I thought Mumbrella was better than beating up a story off the back of a few social media comments.
Westpac aren’t funding the rescue helicopters for shits and giggles… They’re leveraging their solid community service efforts through brand campaigns, so what? Every company does it…
I thought the ad was about the refugee crisis when first saw it. Awkward…
What constitutes a ‘backlash’? How many comments are negative and what percentage is that of the total comments?
Mumbrella, you are the Gawker of advertising blogs. I sincerely hope that when you release Michael Lynch’s sex tape he sues the fucking shit out of you.
Great to see the PC police out in force looking for new things to be offended by.
Westpac supporting community initiatives… Damned if they do and damned if they don’t.
I’m not a Westpac customer or connected the agency who made the Ad. This is how I see it. The Westpac rescue helicopter is a ‘feel good demonstration of Westpac giving back to the community and yes they want a little credit for it. I think anyone who invested millions into something would want a little credit. Not to mention it saves lives!
Thank you Mumbrella for pointing out how people just want to be annoyed these days – the helicopter should be publicly funded says outraged user number one, but it isn’t. Neither is lifesaving and the companies who fund both are entitled to say so.
Companies support charitable causes for a marketing benefit – who would have though!?
Perhaps all the whingers should donate to the helicopter service directly so Westpac doesn’t have to. Tossers…
While I agree that Westpac has every right to, and should, shout out their sponsorship of the rescue chopper, I think the words ‘And he doesn’t bank with Westpac’ are ill advised. They shouldn’t have included them. The ad would have been fantastic without them.
Bravo Westpac! You provide a great free community service. The public should be appreciative and not react stupidly. The advert may encourage other large companies to undertake community projects.
Remember, credit where credit is due.
Wow 3 negative social media comments, what a backlash!
Come on Mumbrella. Agree with Anon. I have a lot of respect for you but basing an entire article on a few negative comments and one person saying “it has a feel of emotional blackmail” isn’t a fair representation of this ad.
A fair and reasonable response from Westpac would be … fuck you whinging social media trolls, we’ll shut down the rescue helicopter and may you drown at sea but feel really good in your smugness.
The fact they haven’t says a lot for Westpac.
Nice try Westpac [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]. Hope you [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]
Nice to see that a gaggle of overpaid, slothful Westpac employees have enough time on their hands to troll Mumbrella, probably while swallowing whole their daily intake of designer donuts, and / or loading up on ‘cruelty free’ eggs at Barangaroo, which ironically is the historical site of slaughter, massacre, and extreme poverty for the same two centuries that Westpac has so proudly proliferated colonial hatred in this great land.
You sponsor a helicopter or two. Wow, is there a trophy for that? You should definitely get a trophy.
Clive Palmer has a helicopter, too. He at least once used it for non-selfish purposes. Does he get a trophy?
CBA sponsors a whole heap of crap. You don’t see them giving themselves a great big pat on the back in their ads, which indeed have been awful at the best of times. Instead, they are proud to be the most efficient bank at ripping off hard-working Australians in good cheer.
That said, to their credit, at least they don’t gasbag about being a great mate to us when we have issues with our yachts. You know, the yacht that every mass-middle-market Australian has. Right up their with their golfing (that, let’s face it, not one of us could actually give a crap about).
Seriously WBC, get over yourselves and dry your eyes about the “social media police” that are having a go at you. Why don’t you take it as constructive feedback that you should actually go and do your research, or keep watching your market share quite appropriately get absorbed by Macquarie? LOL.
Oh look Westpac are at it again, Ohh that’s right, there’s are banking enquiry on at the moment, gotta make out they are Hero’s, what, at ripping people off at every opportunity